Overhead door construction



Feb. 6, 1940. A R 2,189,020

- OVERHEAD DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed May 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l k l I IN VEN TOR.

ATT RNEYJZ Feb. 6, 1940. A. v. ROWE OVERHEAD DCOR CONSTRUCTION Filed May27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 6102M fljzozue ATTORNEY.

Feb. 6, 1940. A. v. ROWE OVERHEAD DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed May 2'7, 19393 Sheets-Sheet 3 g y \IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEIIIHIIIIM a, gggml INVENTOR. awryflflwe m ATTORNEYJ'.

frame.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- OVERHEAD DOOR CONSTRUCTION Alvin Bowe, Galesburg, 111., minor to RoweManufacturing Company, Galeaburg, 111., a corporation of IllinoisAnne-monke 27, 1939, Serial No. 278,096

' 10 Claims. (01. sci-) This invention relates generally to overheaddoor constructions and, more particularly, to overhead doorconstructions equipped with door sealing means operable after the doorhas been .i shifted to its lowermost closed position.

The present invention contemplates improved mechanism for effecting thesimultaneous sealing of a plurality of hingedly connected door panelsafter said panels have been shifted to their doorclosing position, andto this end it is an object of thepresentinvention to provide simple andimproved means; manually operable from a convenient location forlaterally urging the door panels into sealing relation with respect to adoor The present invention constitutes an improvement of the mechanismdisclosed in my co-pending application SerialNo. 243,245, filed November30, 1938, wherein mechanism of. less simpli- 20 fied form is disclosedfor causing'the door panels by means of a conventional lock-operatinghandle centrally disposed with respect to the door panels.

: It is a further object of the present invention to provide mechanismas set forth above for late-rally urging door panels into sealingrelation "with a door frame wherein the number of operating parts is'reduced'to a minimum and 40 wherein most of'said partscan be stampedfrom sheet metal, thereby materially reducing the cost of manufacturewithout sacrificing. strength and durability.

Further objects and advantages will be more -5 apparent from thefollowing detailed description, when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional viewtaken along the line i-l of Figure 2'showing a door strucsu tureincluding the door frame and a plurality of shiftable hingedly'connected door panels;

equipped with door sealing mechanism embodying features of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is also a'vertical sectional view taken substantially along theline 22 of Figure 1 to more clearly illustrate the general disposition.of the door-sealing mechanism disclosed in Fig- Figure 3 is an enlargedfragmentary perspective view taken substantially along the line 3-3 5.of Figure 2 showing a section of the track or guide rail and theshiftable U bar and operating mechanism therefor;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view sim ilar to Figure 3disclosing the U bar shifted to 10 its uppermost position, the baractuating mechanism being dissociated from the trackstructure in orderto more clearly illustrate the disposition of theinclined guide slotswhich serve todirect. the U bar toward and away from the pintles of 1the guide rollers;

Figure 5 discloses the structure of Figure 3 as viewed along the line 55of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the shiftable Ubar'dissociated'from the track 90 structure;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view disclosing themanner in which the pintle of each guide roller is engaged by theU barso as to cause the roller to move into a com- 85 panion registering slotin the track structure and thereby permitsufllcient movement of theassociated door panel to cause the sealing engagement of said panel withthe door jamb;

Figure 8 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 8-8 of Figure 'l to more clearly illustrate the positionoccupied by the guide roller, pintle, door panel, and U bar prior to theshifting of the panel into sealing engagement with the door frame; 35

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, showing the door panel shiftedinto sealing engagement with the door frame as a result of theengagement of the U bar with the roller pintle; and

Figure 10 is an enlarged transverse horizontal 4 sectional view takensubstantially along the line ID -Ill of Figure 5 to more clearlyillustrate the structural features of the pivotally supported arm of theU bar actuating trigger mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, 5 it will be seen that oneembodiment of my invention is disclosed in operative association with ashiftable door structure designated generally by the numeral l2. Thisdoor structure comprises a plurality of panels I4, l6, l8, and 2!! 5awhich" are joined together along their margins by panel 20 carriestoward its upper edge a roller 3 -'support 26-. which is the equivalentof the lower tion 44. One'ofthese vtra clrstructures .38, isassosectionof the hinge mechanism 22.

One of the hinge mechanisms 22 is clearly disclosed in Figure 7. It willbe seen that the lower section of the hinge 22 slidably carries a bar 28which is provided with a slot 38 to permit free shifting of the bar 28within the lowermost hinge flange. The bar 28 is bent forwardly at itsouter extremity and is formed with an upwardly extending sectio'n;32which serves as a supportjor a pintle 34, said pintle carrying a guideroller 36. By having the pintle supporting bar 28 freely slidable withinthe lower flange of the hinge mechanism 22, the roller 36-isrenderedself adjustable to any track irregularities and the like Therollers 36 just described co-operat'e"with" track structures designatedgenerally by the numeral 38 in guiding the-,hin'gedl-yrconnected panelsof the door structure l2 between vertical door closing position and openoverhead position.

The track structure "includes a vertical section v 48 and asubstantially,horizontalsection,|2-; said sections being connected by acurved track. secciated with each margin'of the doorstructure.

.' sponding surface. area 'oithedoor. lamb 48.,

suitably secured to the doorjamb 68.;- Thus, as. the door panels areshiftedto. their verticaldoor closing position, as showl'i invFigure-.7; the marginal areasgof the door panels overlie a corre- Thepresent invention is-particularly concerned with the-problem. ofsealing-allot thedoor. panels against the d'oorljamb 48 aftersaid panels:have been shifted to their lowermost position,,a s illus- =trated .inFigures..1,.2, and-7. The-mechanism 55. shifts downwardly by the forceof gravity. These 1 slots 54'openat the margin of-the lip 52 topermitfor accomplishing thissealing of thedoonpanels will now be described.

' The door'sealing mechanism includes a pair of pin 12 atone extremityand pivotally coupled with shiftable door engaging members or U bars vU,

: one U.-bar being associated with each'vertical sec tion M'I-of'thetrack structure (Figs.-3- to 9,

'. therarm 14 normally move together as a unit due 'tostheinteraposition'of a coil spring 18, one exincl.)'.. These-door actuating members .or11 bars 58 'embracethe lip portion52 ofthe vertical track section andare verticallyshiftable with .re-

spect thereto: .Attention isdirected to the fact that the lip portion52: ofuthe vertical track section 40 is provided atspaced intervals(Figs. 3

and 4) with slots 54 which co-act withpins or member I6, as, forexample, the force exerted by thelock bar 62, exceeds the yieldingresistance afforded by the coil spring 18 (as will later aprivets 56 incontrolling the-direction. of movement experienced by the-bar 58 whensaid bar is urged upwardly in responseto .the actuationofJnechanismxabout to be 'described', and when said .bar

initial'association of the' pins 56;.and said-slots have a shortvertical section' which serves to preventdislodgment of th'epins fromthe slotswhen i said pins areshifted to' their uppermost position.

-. as indicated in Figurez4. The inclination of the lower section of.each slot 54" is-such as to insure ures 3 and'8. linithisjpos-ition.theiouter surface (oi-the. U- bar is spaced-'slightly-rfrom' the:pintle 70' 'rollers 'in the vertical'seotion ofthe-tracln .How-

34, thereby permitting free movement ofthe ever, as the U bar' isshifted upwardly, the inclined section of theislots Nico-actswith'thej'pinsx56. to

direct the outer vertical edge of'the U- :bar: into engagement withtheroller p'lntle ;34. A series jmedia'tertheamargins of the doorpanels.

roller pintles 34, as illustrated in Fig. 9, the recesses or slots 58 inthe track provide sufllcient clearance for the rollers 36 to enable thedoor ap anels tabe urged into sealing engagement with the door frame.48.

I prefer to have the slots 56 located in the immediate vicinity of acompanion roller so as to insure more positive engagement of the Uybar58 ,with the roller pintles.

Lateral and upward movement of the sealing an 58fisf'controlled from amanually operable lo clg' bar' handle68 (Fig. 2). This handle 68 ispivotally mounted in a convenient position inter- A pair of loclg bars62 extendin opposite directions from "and are pivotally supported by aplate 64 which rotates withthe handle 60. Thefree extremity wardly, that.is, toward each other, through the action. of suitable springs 68carried by each bracket 66., Thus,..the. springs .68 serve to expediteunlocking movement of the bars 62 when rotationisimparted to the handle68.-

:;--When they door panels occupy their vertical door closing position,the free extremity of each lock-bar 62 is positionodhin Operativeassociation with atrigger or actuating-mechanism designated generally,by thenumeral 10 (Figs. 3 and 5). Movement of the lock bar 62 in thedirection or 1 the arrow. shown. in Figure 5,-causes the pivoting orpivotmember 12. The trigger mechanism 10 comprises an arm |4pivotallysupported by the a U-shaped arm or trigger member 76 at theopposite extremity. This trigger member I6 and tremity ,ofthe coilspring being received by an apertureprovi'led in the arm (Fig. 3) andthe other extremity of the coilspring resting within the channelprovided by the U-shaped trigger member 16. ,If the force acting uponthe trigger pear), relative movement between the trigger Thelowerextremity of the trigger arm I6 is -pivotally connected'wit-h the upperend of a link 82,. the-lower extremity of said link being slotted toreceivea tongue 84 of a plate 86. This plate -88 is securedby vmeansofrivets 81. or'other suitableefastenings. to the-lower extremity of the Ubar (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5). The plate 86 is provided with .anupwardiyextending tongue porgtion 88- which co-acts with a shoulder 90 presentedby arcut out'portion-of the vertical track section 48 to limit thedegree of upward movement of'the-Ubar 5li. When the U bar 58isinitiallyassociated with the lip 52 of the vertitogether'withoutinterference. and after said parts have beenuproperly associated thetongue 88 is sprung inwardly by the blow of a hammer or the like andthen occupies the solid-line position shown in Figure 8. In thisposition the upper extremity of the tongue will abut the shoulder 90when the U bar has been shifted upwardly a given amount. This shoulder90 comes into play as the lock bars 62 approach the limit of theiroutward movement. During the initial movement of the bars, the triggermechanism III as a unit pivots about the pin 12 and, when the tongue 88is stopped by the shoulder 90 so as to prevent further upward movementof the U bar 50, the final continued movement of the lock bars 62 causesthe trigger members 16 to pivot about the pin 80 against the yieldingforce of the spring 18. Should the U bars 50 reach the limit of theirclamping movement before the tongue 88 engages the shoulder 98, thissame pivoting of the trigger member 16 about the pivot or pin 80 willtake place.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that when the lockhandle 60 is shifted to the position shown in Figure 1 after the doorpanels have been moved to their door-closing position, the lock bars 62will have moved the trigger mechanism 10 about the pin or pivot 12 andthereby caused the pins 56, carried by the U bar 50, to be guidedupwardly and laterally.within the inclined section of the slots 54,thereby causing the outer edge of the U bars to be moved into engagementwith the door structure or pintles 34. This, as previously described,effects simultaneous sealing engagement of the door panels with the doorframe. After the U bars reach their final clamping position, the lockbars 62 continue their outward movement a sufficient distance to causethe pivoting of the trigger member 16 about the pivot 80 against theresilient action of the spring 18. The yielding action of this springco-operates to prevent rattling of the door panels after the U bars havebeen moved to their final door-sealing position; It should also beunderstood, when/the lock bars are shifted to their outer lockingposition, as

shown in Figure 2, that upward movement of the door panels is preventeddue to the presence of a lug 92 formed integral with a plate 94 which issecured to the web portion of the vertical track section 40 by anysuitable means, such as bolts 96 (Fig. 5). This plate 94 also serves asa support for the pin 12. The lower portion of the plate 94 is formedsemi-circularly so as to partially encircle the pin 12, and these partsare then welded together. Thus the pin I2 is firmly secured in positionalong the lower edge of the plate 9 4 and the arm I4 of the triggermechanism 10 is pivotally supported by the fixed pin 12.

Summarizing the foregoing description, it should be apparent that whenthe door panels l4, I6, l8, and of the door structure I! are shiftedfrom the overhead position within the upper horizontal track section 42to the d00rclosing vertical position within the vertical track sectionagainst the action of a suitable counter-balancing spring 88"(Flg. 1),these panels are in readiness to be urged laterally into sealingengagement with the door jamb 48. By manually turning the handle 66so asto shift the lock bars 62 outwardly in opposite directions, the freeextremities of these bars move into engagement with the trigger members16 and thereby cause the trigger mechanism 10 to pivot about the pin 12in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure5. The triggermechanism tary surface portions of the door lambs.

18, being coupled with the U bar through the agency of the link 82 andthe plate 86, causes, said U bar to be shifted upwardly. The inclinedsections of the slots 54 co-operate with the pins 56 to effect lateralmovement of the U bars into engagement with the rollermechanism orpintles of the door panels. The presence of the slots or openings 58provides sufficient clearance for the rollers 36 to permit movement ofthe door panels into sealing engagement with complemen- The" degree ofshifting experienced by the U b'ars is limited by engagement of thetongues 88 with the companion abutment or shoulder 90. It will, ofcourse, be apparent that the U bar. may extend upwardly, as disclosedherein, a distance which is sufficient to cause engagement thereof withthe roller pintles carried by the supports 26 (Fig! 2), or, in instanceswhere itis deemed advisable, the U bar mayterminate just above thepintle carried by the uppermost hinge mechanism 22, other mechanismbeing'provided to effect the sealing of the uppermost. margin of theupper door panel 20. The weight'of the U bar 50 is sufiicient to carrythe bar downwardly after the lock handle 60 has been turned so as" towithdraw the lock bars 62 from the trigger mechanism 10. The coil spring18 of the trigger mechanism 10 also serves to insure against theloosening of the door panels whenthey are subjected to vibration. Infact,- due to the constant tendency of the spring 18 to maintain thetrigger arm 16 and the companion arm .14 separated, this action of thespring also tends to maintain the clamping or sealing action of the Ubar, should the door panels be subjected to vibration. Thus, the actionof the spring 18, after the U bar has been shifted toitsdoor-sealingxposition, serves to continually maintain said U barsinclamping engagement with the.doo1"pintles,.even

though the panels have a tendency .iected to vibration,

By employing my improved actuating bar arrangement,-to-wit, the U-shapedactuating bar 50 and the elements associated therewith,-

to be sub-e the necessity of making adjustments v.to-insure propersealing effect is completely avoided. In other words, the arrangement ofthe inclined cam slots 54, associated guide pins 56, and the springs 16,together with the mechanism for imparting movement to the actuating bar,is such as to insure a tight fit after the structure has been installedwithout the-necessity of making adjustments. There are no bolts, screws,or the like to work loose. Furthermore, the U bar moves each of theroller pintles the same distance and theamount of travel experienced bythe U'bar is controlled by the degree of slant or inclination of the camslots 54. Obviously, these cam slots could be provided in the U baraswell' as the lip of the track, in which instance the pins 56 wouldbemounted within the lip of the track.

I have found that a 20"v inclination permits the upward movement of theU bar to effect the proper sealing of the panels. Obviously thisinclination may be varied to suit the conditions in cident to theparticular installation or use. Should one installation require theupward travel of the U bar'a greater distance than. another in order toeffect the proper seal against the jamb, additional movement may beimparted to the U bar.

Obvious changes in the specific structural features described hereinmaybe madewithout dcparting from thespirit-and scope of the followingclaims. 7

Having thus described my -invention, what I claim as new and desire-tosecure by Letters Patent is: v -1. In an overheadydoor construction,aplu- 'ralityof hingedly connected shiftable door panels for traversinga door opening, guiding means for directing movements of said doorpanels between open and closed positions-including upright tracksections having a web portion .and an oppositely disposed lip portion,said sections being positioned in the vicinity. of the opposite sides ofsaid door opening, and door sealing means including members on said lipportions shiftable vertically and laterally with respect to the doorpanels for simultaneously causing aplurality of said panels to beurged-laterally. at vertically spaced positions into sealin'g relation.with respect to said door :opening after said panels reach their doorclosing position.

2. In an overhead door construction, a plurality of hingedly connectedshiftable door panels for traversing a door opening,.guiding means fordirecting the-movements of. said door panels between "open and, closedpositions, said guiding means including upright track sections, andmeans shiftable laterally of said panels for simultaneously engaging aplurality of said panels to,

" directing the movements of said door panels be- -tween-open andvclosed positions, said guiding means including upright track sections,and actuating members shiftably supported along one edge of said uprighttrack "sections for simultaneously engaging a plurality of said panelsto laterally urge said panels into'sealing relation with respect to saiddoor opening after said panels reach their closing-position.

4. In an overhead door construction, a plurality of hingedlyconnectedshiftable door panels for traversing a door opening, guidingmeans for directing the movements ofsaid door panels between open andclosed positions, said guiding" means including upright track sections,and

U-s'haped actuating members shiftably supported along one edge of saidupright track sections for simultaneously engaging a plurality of saidpanels to laterally urge said panels into sealing relation with respectto said door opening after said panels reach their closing position.

5. In an overhead door construction, a plurality of hingedly connectedshiftable door panels for traversing a door'opening, guiding means fordirecting the movements of said door panels between open and closedpositions, said guiding means includingupright track sections, and an.

actuating member shiftably mounted upon each upright track sectionforsimultaneously engaging a plurality of said panels to laterally urgesaid panels into sealing relation with respect to said door openingaftersaid panels reach their closing position, each of said actuating membersbeing U-shaped in horizontal cross-section, the

, material jromii g as, base of said U-shaped member being constructedand arranged for. en-

- gaging the structureof said panels.

.6. Inan overhead door construction, a plurality of hingedly connecteddoor panels for traversing a door opening, guiding means fordirecting-the movements of said door panels between open and closedpositions, said guiding means including upright track sections which inhorizon--v tal cross-section present oppositely disposed tread portions,a connecting web portion, and a lip portion oppositely disposed fromsaid web portion, and an actuating member embracing the lip-portion of.each upright track section, each of said actuating members beingshiftable laterally of said panels forsimultaneously urging .saidpanelslaterally into sealing relation with respect to said dooropeningafter said panels reach their closing position.

7. In an overhead. door construction, a pair -.of guide tracks, eachtrack comprising a fixed, .vertical .section adapted to be positionedadja- 7 cent the inner surface of a door frame defining a door opening,a horizontal. overhead section, and a curved section intermediate saidvertical and horizontal sections, a plurality of hingedly connecteddoor. panels slidably mounted upon said tracks and adapted to be shiftedthereon between door closing vertical position and open overheadposition, guide rollers carried by said panels, and shiftable meansadapted to engage a plurality of said panels at positions axially spacedfrom said rollers for simultaneously moving: said panels at verticallyspaced positions in a lateral direction only into sealing relation withrespect to the door opening after the door panels have reached theirlowermost position closing the door opening.

8. In an overhead door construction, a pair of guidetracks, each trackcomprising a fixed vertical section adapted to be positioned adjacentthe inner surface ofa door frame defining a door opening, a horizontaloverhead section,

and a curved section intermediate said vertical and horizontalsections/a plurality of hingedly connected door panelsslidably mountedupon said tracks and adapted to be shifted thereon between door closingvertical position and open overhead position, guide rollers carried bysaid panels, and shiftable'means adapted to engage a plurality of saidpanels at positions axially spaced from said rollers for simultaneouslymov ing said panels at vertically spaced positions in a lateraldirection into sealing relation with respect to the door opening afterthe door panels have reached their lowermost position closing the dooropening, said shiftable means being manually controllable from aposition intermediate the sides of said door panels.

9. In an overhead door construction, a pair of guide tracks, each trackcomprising a. fixed ver- Zi J) tical sectionadapted to be positionedadjacent the inner surface of a door frame defining a door opening, ahorizontal overhead section, and a curved section intermediate saidvertical and horizontal. sections, a plurality of hingedly connecteddoor panels slidably mounted upon said tracks and adapted to be shiftedthereon between door closing vertical position and open overheadposition, guide rollers carried by said panels, pintles supporting saidrollers, and shiftable means adapted to engage a plurality of saidpintles for simultaneously moving said panels at vertically .spacedpositions in a lateral direction into sealing relation with respect tothe door the inner surface of a door frame defining a door opening, ahorizontal overhead section. and 'a curved section intermediate saidvertical and horizontal sections, a plurality of hingedly connected doorpanels slidabiy mounted upon said tracks and adapted to be shiftedthereon between door closing vertical position and open overheadposition, guide rollers carried by said panels, and shiftable meansprovided with an arrangement of inclined cam slots and adapted to engagea plurality of said panels at positions axially spaced from said rollersfor simultaneously moving said panels at vertically spaced positions ina lateral direction into sealing-relation with respect to the dooropening after the door panels have reached their lowermost positionclosing the door opening.

ALVIN V. ROWE.

